Sometimes Things That Sound Good Are Dangerous

Internationalists, those who think the best way to world peace is by giving up our national rights and decision-making to international organizations, had another reason to be ashamed last week. And we all had another reason to be leery of international groups that ‘support peace and cooperation’.Robert Mugabe, the brutal dictator who has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for decades, last week was named a ‘goodwill ambassador’ for the World Health Organization (WHO). Controversy immediately ensued as the dictator who has killed thousands was entrusted with any position that required ‘goodwill’. And as if timing isn’t everything, last week Mugabe also had a 25 year old American charged with several crimes because she committed the outrageous act of saying on Twitter that Mugabe was a ‘sick man’.

As if that isn’t enough even public health officials couldn’t help but note that under Mugabe’s 37-year rule, Zimbabwe’s national health care system had collapsed. Two days later, WHO reversed itself and withdrew the offer. But one can’t help but ask in what alternate universe an appointment one of the longest serving dictators in the world as ‘goodwill ambassador’ seemed to be a good idea?

But this isn’t an isolated incident. The United Nations is notorious for things just like that. Who can forget over the years such things as the appointment of Iran and Libya (during Muammar Gadaffi’s rule) to the UN Human Rights Council? The United States recently announced it would no longer participate with UNESCO, the UN cultural organization, because t had gotten so out of control. The immediate reason was its blatant anti-Jewish bias. As evidence, one need only look at the last decade or so where UNESCO has passed over 30 resolutions condemning Israel, one against Syria and none against any other country. So in the view of UNESCO, Israel is 30 times more responsible for all of the problems across the globe than any other country, anywhere over the last decade.

And those are just a few examples, none of which even speaks to the massive corruption that has become routine in the UN.

The bottom line is that we in the United States are more moral than many in other parts of the world. That isn’t arrogance, that’s a simple fact. For all of our faults, we have a collective set of values that, though not unique in the world, are still those of a minority of governments in the world. As such, why would we ever voluntarily give up any part of our sovereignty to some organization that would treat brutal dictators as equals of countries that respect basic human rights? To give up our authority to make our own decisions, based on the human rights, morality and basic principles we value and hold dear, to an international body that considers Iran a paragon of human rights and an example to the world on the topic, is the height of folly…and naïve flirtation with danger.